Anomaly
by tzeno
Summary: Harry mets his next challenge. Something larger and more dangerous than anyone has met before, gods included.
1. The future is… no more

Anomaly

Disclaimer: I'm just playing in the HP universe and a few others universes as well… (will decide on the universes as the story evolves). The characters and universes belong to their authors and all I own is the bit of fun of writing this fan fic down

The future is… no more

"I feel old… God! I'm tired…" though Harry.

"Heheh… I, actually, am old…" he continued thinking with a small smile. "Maybe too old…. "

"Nah… scratch that… I'm waaay too old…."

For those who would have seen the way Harry looked, they would say that he was just a regular 25ish old human. Maybe the only thing somewhat unusual would have been that he was wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt, none of them having any kind of inscriptions or designs.

Not that would have matter… for the end was near… literally. Harry was looking at the sky where a strong light was pulsing on and off. The muggles were calling this a pulsar… had called it a pulsar, as there was no muggle left nowhere on the face of the Earth since the pulsar has entered the solar system about 50 something years ago and somehow "decided" to stop and just… well… hang around… for a lack of a better term. It did not obey the laws of physics, at least none that were known to the humanity. It had simply appeared on the edge of the solar system one day, and started to slowly blast everything away with radiation. Lots of radiation…

The magicals, at first just laughed at the muggles for they surely must be crazy to be scared of some light in the sky. However nobody found this amusing anymore, as the first blast of radiation vaporized everything and anything from half a planet be it muggle, magical or simple bacteria; be it behind concrete & steel or the most powerful wards that could be raised. The other half of the planet was sterilized clean a mere 12 hours later…

Still… Harry survived… He had no idea how, or why. Nor did the gods who saw the destruction of humanity and just shrugged... Why would someone destroy something this race, so insignificant at their level in such a way, as so many other ways would assure the same result but with none of the raised brows… Nor could they tell how Harry was surviving for the last 53 and half revolutions of the planet with no food or water, or in the regular blasts of radiation. This deeply perturbed them, so they decided to wait and see who will come and take care of the anomaly that Harry was and maybe find out why it had done what it had done

As for Harry, right now he was trying to summon a glass with water for his parched lips, but without his wand this was as hard as it could get.

"Damn it! Damn it all to hell!" after failing again for the Nth time. He knew he was getting the spell, the feeling, the memory and the desire for water as it should, but all he got for his effort was more radiation from the pulsar. "I don't even have enough energy to swear… "

He sits on a frozen slab of stone. With little to no atmosphere left due to the radiation blast, Earth is now a frozen hell, exception only when the same radiation comes over and all becomes magma level hot

"Hell... I'd sell my soul to be able to die... Or maybe I'm in hell and I just don't remember when I have died. Through, truth to be told, I had expected a judgement and/or at least Voldemort to be around..."

"Ah, well..." and with a sight, Harry started trying to summon that glass with water again. Nothing better to do anyway...


	2. Reboot

Disclaimer: I'm just playing in the HP universe and a few others universes as well… (will decide on the universes as the story evolves). The characters and universes belong to their authors and all I own is the bit of fun of writing this fan fic down

**02. Reboot**

"Huh?!... what happen?..." said Harry looking at his right hand. If was a bit unclear, but the feeling of being there, being his hand was real, unmistakable. Looking around he realized that everything in his cupboard was unclear and he was actually missing his glasses

"What the... Why am I here? Or how..." He was pretty sure that he was just trying to summon that glass with water, again for the millionth time, a couple of seconds ago

"Boy! Move and make breakfast! NOW!" he heard a voice shouting. A voice he did not heard in more than half a century, a voice he hoped he'll never hear again

The cupboard door was knocked forcefully and the face of his uncle appeared in its place. "Boy! Move and make breakfast! NOW!"

Harry decided quickly that the best thing to do now is to go with the flow, at least until something about all of this started to make sense. "Yes sir!"

He got his glasses from the nail above the door and putting them on, started to exit his cupboard.

"Hurry up, will you?" his uncle said, kicking him. "I have to be early on at work today."

"Aha..." thought Harry, "at least this explains why I was not released from the cupboard by Petunia".

Starting to warm the fry pan for the eggs, Harry paid all of his attention to what he was doing and to his surroundings. He was still feeling the pain from his uncle's kick. And he was hoping that he'd find something that would make sense of what he knew with where he was now as compared with where he was some minutes ago.

But nothing seems to be forthcoming. It was the same kitchen he remembered from childhood, with the sunflower oil under the sink, with the eggs up, on the last row of the fridge's door, almost out of reach, even after he had to climb on the chair to get them. With his uncle complaining under the chin that it's too early, that this summer it's too hot, that the client it's out of his mind to request a meeting first hour in the morning, that this is not worthy of this time, that the morning paper was crumpled, that it was a long drive to Gunning, that he had to wash the car...

"Hold a sec...", though Harry. "Morning paper. That will tell me at least the day and year and a bit of what's going on"

He put the fried eggs on his uncle's plate and served them together with some bacon, bread and butter. Then started to fry some more eggs and bacon for his aunt and cousin. If his uncle was here, then definitively they were around here as well

He finished cooking just in time as his aunt was descending the stairs. Put the servings on the table and then made himself scarce. Going into the cupboard he listened to the conversation between his aunt and uncle, but nothing they talked was shredding any light on what's going on. Dudsley was not going to wake up, probably not until 10, and it was a bit before 7. At least according to the clock on the wall.

"Ok, let's see what I know" though Harry. "I was trying to get a glass of water, the magical way, and then I find myself in my old cupboard. My aunt and uncle doesn't seem to treat me differently than they did when I was a child. There is no more big flashy lights in the sky, I actually have a roof above my head. There is no more pain associated with extreme cold or heat from the pulsar, through when I was kicked by my uncle I felt pain. And the pain goes away as time passed. I can feel the texture of the old carpet under me, I can feel the hardness of the wood of the cupboard, the hardness of the metal from which the hinges are made of. I can sense the sweet smell of vegetation and a bit of dust. And I'm still very thirsty..."

"I can hear the tic-toc of the clock on the wall, I can hear my relatives talking on how the weather will be, I did heard a car passing through the street in front"

"Maybe I was dreaming of something worse than being locked down in a cupboard under the stairs?... Yet, it felt so real... so painful... I remembered seeing my wife and kids starting to burn alive when the pulsar had appeared, I remember wondering the empty Earth for years with nothing to sustain me, not even air, yet unable to die"

That was the moment his uncle decided it was time to leave to work. After Petunia walked him to the door and left for upstairs, Harry slowly, quietly got out of the cupboard and into the living room to snatch the paper.

"Day - Wednesday, 24th of July 1991" The main title being about someone who died in a bombing, apparently someone important. Harry kept looking at the titles, but none was showing anything that could shed some light on his situation. Nothing at all.

Harry decided that a short walk around the house was in order. Maybe something will appear. More info was needed

As he was leaving the front door, he felt it more powerfully now. The wards around him, around the house

"Magic! good old magic". He realized he had not felt this way since a long time, and probably that was why he could not summon the glass with water. He relieved in the feeling, like meeting an old friend after a long time, too long of a time. Walking around the garden he saw the garden hose lying around and decided it was time to quench his thirst, then to water the plant. Gods!, did he understand the need for water!

While drinking, something funny happened. The water decided to stop moving and just hang around as it was leaving the garden hose. Looking around he noticed that everything looked like it had frozen in mid-movement and that behind him a rather odd-looking man was sitting turkish style on the grass with a hand on his chin, looking at him, very intently

"Ah!" screamed Harry, while tripping over the garden hose and falling on the grass himself

The man, just stood there, with no movement other than his eyes following a falling Harry.

Harry collected himself from the grass, looked at the man, looked at the water and looked around. Everything was still frozen in mid-motion. "Sorry..." he started to mumble, "you just scared me"

He looked again at the water, realizing that he still had to actually drink, and that the water was not moving. He put the hand on the water but it felt like it was iron, unmoving and not like water. Nothing that he could actually drink.

With a sight, Harry turned to the odd looking man. He couldn't tell what he was wearing or for that matter what colors those clothes were originally. It all looked like it was some kind of worn down by time, black turning grey jacket put over a white turning grey kind of toga. He had no beard and his eyes were looking at him like he had decided to pierce him with sight alone.

"Uh... Hello!" said Harry, raising his right hand. The man just continued to stare

Feeling a bit stupid, Harry moved a few steps to the door, while looking at the man.

"Uh... Hello" tried Harry again. He was sure that while he did moved, the man's stare followed him. "Do you happen to know what's going on?"

"No, that's what I was trying to find out" said the man with a sight.

"What do you mean? And who are you?"

"I'm... John. Just John" leaving the impression that John was everything else then his name. "And I'm here to figure out why you are here."

"Euh... sir, I don't understand anything at all."

"We don't either"

"We?"

"Yes, we"

Harry looked at the strange man. And looked. For the few couple of minutes he looked and tried to decide if the man was actually laughing at him, if he had gained any new info and if maybe this man could help him. Nothing seemed to be forthcoming

"Euh… sir, let me try this another way. Do you have any idea why everything except the two of us is frozen in mid-movement?"

"That would be my doing, actually. I wanted a talk with you and found this to be the simplest way"

"Sir…? How did you freeze everything around here? And wouldn't it had been simple to just talk"

"I did not actually have had frozen anything around here. We currently exist in between two instances of now. The current now and the next fragment of time you call now. Nobody else will get hurt by my actions and most will not even realize that in between now and the next moment, more things have happened than it should have happened."

"And this is the easiest way you could think of?" asked Harry, incredulity in his voice

"Well… I think I said the simplest way, not the easiest way. Simplest way, since this way interference will be kept at a minimum. Now, why are you here?"

"Euh… I wanted to look around? And have a mouth of water?"

"No, not that! Why are you here?"

"I… don't know… I just wanted to understand what's going on?" said Harry in half a voice, half lost and wishing deep down that things start making sense again.

"Yeah, I wish also that things make sense again" said the man with half a chuckle. "What it the first thing you remember when you had awaken this morning?"

Harry looked at the man, wondering what he should tell him. That even if it was not even 8 in the morning, his morning was more than 12 hours ago, and that he was woken when the blast of radiation started turning the frozen hell to molten rocks again. Or that he has awaken looking at his hand this morning and trying to figure out why he was remembering things that did not happened. Being in his uncle's cupboard was definitively an improvement compared to previous situation, but how or why it had happen was something he did not understand himself

"I see…" said the man. "Tell me more about his pulsar of yours"

"Huh?... Did you read my mind?"

"All of it. And that of the soul fragment attached to your scar. Yet, this brings me nowhere closer to understand what has happened. Why are you here, or how did you get here. And, no, your memories, as far as I can determine are your own, not implanted by any tech, magics or any other way I know of. Nor do I find any of the regular interference caused by sending only the memories back in time"

"I have the piece of Voldemort linked again to me?"

"Not again, it just that you did not get to that moment in time where you had it removed. Yet. Therefore it's still there where it is"

"Sir… I don't understand anything of this. All I know is that one moment I was trying to summon a glass of water in a frozen wasteland and the next I was looking at my right hand in the cupboard under stairs."

"I know… and we don't understand either. I'm going to list all the impossibilities you just went through"

"First, a pulsar appeared at the edge of the solar system. The closest one at present is somewhere at 280 light-years away. But the characteristics I was able to determine from your memory doesn't match that one. For that matter it doesn't matter any pulsar that I know of. While moving an object of that size it's mostly a matter of power and patience, instantly moving and object of that size it's nowhere that simple"

"Mind if I put a few questions?"

"Not at all, afterward we have all the time we want here"

"What's a light year? It's not something I have heard until now"

"Actually, you did. Or better said you read it in the science fiction books at the library when you were young, for a lack of a better term, before you starting going on the Hogwarts. Anyway, it only a measure of distance. The distance the light goes in one year."

"What characteristics you saw in my memories? All I remember is a very bright light and things getting hot. Very hot"

"Things like the period it revolves around itself. The light spectrum of what you could see. The fact that since its initial appearance at the edge of the solar system until it sterilized Earth it had passed less than a week. That it sterilized Earth at it leisure in about 12 hours. That it continued to do so on a non-regular basis. That it moved in different places inside the solar system, yet it did not gravitationally affect the solar system as it should"

"Sir?..."

"Those things are heavy, Harry. Really, really heavy. Anyway, let's go to the second impossibility."

"The pulsar moved very fast for its mass over a large distance. Then it stopped and blasted earth. Then it started moving again. And stopped again. Multiple times over your memories showing various velocities and changes of directions. Sort of like it was searching for something"

"Third impossibility – your survival. Yes, I know you wished to die with everyone else, but I'm glad you did not. I have no idea also how it happen. You show no special traces, and your magic is barely active in you. Nothing that would keep you alive with no air, nothing that would keep you alive within the cold. Or within the heat. Or within the radiation. Nor how did you heal so fast when the cold or the heat ceased."

"Fourth impossibility – your arrival here. You have no ability to travel in time. You did not had any device that could travel in time. Nor were you helped. At least that I can figure out. Also… look at your hand."

Harry looked and indeed the "I will not tell lies" was inscribed on his left hand as always. He did not noticed it until now.

"Yeah… somehow it transferred back in time your memories and some parts of you, yet not your whole body. This is your almost 11 years old body"

Harry kept on looking and listening to John. But with each of the impossibilities he was describing Harry was feeling like he was being hit over and over again.

"Bad news Harry?"

"Yes sir. I'm more confused then ever. I understood only a part of what you were saying and I have the impression that you kept it as simple as it could have been, without getting into things"

"You're right. Things are more complicated than my above description. Tell you what. Let's make a deal. I'll give you the ability of perfect recall. In trade, all of your experiences will be recorded in this crystal ball here, accessible for us to review at any time without then need to come and explore your mind."

"Perfect recall?"

"Maybe you know it better as eidetic memory." At Harry's look, John continued "It's the ability to recall in memory any of the experiences your will have from now on. Be them by way of reading, tasting, smelling or any other way. You will remember them perfectly to the tiniest detail. The downside is that you will remember the pain and the nightmares with the same accuracy as well"

"Why would you give me such ability? Or how can you do it"

"On the how, that's my business. I can tell you that it's not going to imply any ritual or sacrifice and you will have it the next moment after you agree with the deal. As for the why, once you receive it, you will not be able to forget anything, not will anyone or anything be able to make you forget anything. As your memories duplicate every instance to this ball, I'll be able to see if you managed to have had hidden anything from me, or what are you doing / perceiving and if I find that you are actually a threat I will terminate you the next moment. I will also intervene if I think that you are not able to take care of the issue. Basilisks and dragons are way below what I'll intervene in. So no"

"What is more dangerous than a basilisk?"

"Me for example. And many other things. Hopefully you'll never met them. But for some reason I doubt you'll be that lucky. Anyway the main idea of the crystal globe is to be able to find out what has happened and maybe why it did"

"And if I say no, what will happen?"

"I know that you are most reluctant in having someone mess into your life, but I can tell you that in your life like it was until the appearance of the pulsar I would have never intervened. And if you really want to say no, let's say that I'll either have you reconsider either terminate you. In case you haven't noticed you are in my domain."

"What are you?"

"Just the regular worker around here" said John smiling

Harry looked at John again, trying to understand what was said and how will affect this deal his life from now on. Why would he even need the perfect recall? True it could easy things quite a bit from now on when it comes to casting magic, remembering an infomation and such, but is this worth enough to have someone being always aware of what he is doing or what he is thinking. Every moment of his life from now on

"Harry" said John, "I know I ask a lot of you, but from my point of view this might help saving everyone and everything from this planet, so I'm going to insist you accept the deal"

"Damn it, forgot that his able to read my mind. Not that my occlumency shields are not at full strength now" though Harry.

"I don't use legilimency to read your thoughts, so occlumency doesn't work as well" said John. "And no, I will not teach you any of the above or what I use to read your mind or how to block it. I already bent the rules close to the breaking point to give you perfect recall. Or I will anyway."

Harry sighted. "I'll not be able to get out of this, wouldn't I?" John just shaked his head. "And you say that for this you might be able to prevent all the deaths?"

"That's what I hope to do"

"Ok, do it, until I change my mind"

"Very well. And… it's done" said John. "I strongly recommend you practice Occlumency each and every day, master it and go beyond. Way beyond. Since you'll not be able to forget the pain anymore from now on, this is the only way you'll be able to keep your sanity. And I really hope I'll never meet you again. Farwell"

Harry blinked and looked around. The water was falling gently over the grass. The birds were singing and in background a car could be heard running down the street. For a moment the grass had in it the shape like someone had stayed Turkish style on it, before a small wind erased it. Harry blinked again and then drank some water from the hose.

"What will come, will come" he though.


	3. Letters and interrupted plans

Disclaimer: I'm just playing in the HP universe and a few others universes as well… (will decide on the universes as the story evolves). The characters and universes belong to their authors and all I own is the bit of fun of writing this fan fic down

* * *

03. Letters and interrupted plans

He went in the house and picked the newspaper again. Looked over the pages, then closed it and left it where his uncle has left it. Tested to see if he's remembering anything from what he saw minutes ago. Indeed the new ability seemed to work now. He could recall the newspaper clearly in his mind, being able to read it from memory.

"Today us also the day I receive my Hogwarts letter. This as least if I remember correctly" though Harry.

"What should l I do? Should I start Hogwarts again? Or should I follow other schools? But if I don't join Hogwarts then Hermione will die in the first year. Then Ginny in the second and more than a few up until Voldemort is finished. I might be able to prevent those deaths from happening this time."

"Also, since I'll not be there to help, Sirius will be captured and kissed this time, though it might not want to escape Azkaban"

"What about what I learn at Hogwarts? Will anything I could learn there prevent the pulsar from appearing? Actually, scratch that, I need first to learn more about what a pulsar is. Maybe it's time to make a list"

Going to the living room, he picked up a pen and a piece of paper and started writing

- school to go: Hogwarts

- try to prevent all the deaths that I can

- save Sirius from Azkaban

- find a way around the Ministry monitoring

- more info about the pulsar

- more info about John

The irony of having a perfect memory, yet using pen and paper to order his thoughts was not lost on Harry. However, if it works...

"What else, should I put on the list? Continuing my non-magical education? But how since I'll be at Hogwarts or when for that matter? How about more magical education as well?

Anything else I should be adding for that matter? Do I have enough gold in the vault to buy anything for that matter? Will he need to work something to acquire more gold? Also, I need to find out more info about Perfect Recall and what I can do with it"

While Harry was thinking of what to do next, his cousin was coming down to get his meal. However when he saw Harry pondering over a paper, he changed his course and come to him for a "morning punch". While at his current size, trying to come quietly behind Harry it was like an elephant trying to tip-toe its way through the room. The punch, Dudsley was expecting to land on Harry, was easily intercepted and followed up, Dudsley landing on the table in front of Harry and crashing it down.

"Hi Dudsley", said Harry with mock cheerfulness, "how's your morning? Landed on the wrong side of the bed?"

Hearing the commotion, Petunia, came, only to see Dudsley among the remains of the table

"What is this, after all we've done for you, this is how you treat us..." Whatever she wanted to say, died on her lips when she saw the look Harry was giving her

"Hello Aunt. Lovely morning isn't' it? Dudsley here, decided he wanted to show me how he can fall over himself and how big of a mess of himself he can make."

Petunia started to say something, but Harry, just raised a hand to stop her, his entire attitude commanding authority

"Anyway, this is your lucky day. I'm going to receive my Hogwarts letter and this is the last you'll ever see me. Ever!"

Before Petunia managed to say anything, a knock was heard at the window, and a brown owl was there, with a letter attached to the leg.

"Ah, just in time". Harry picked the other piece of paper, quickly wrote his acceptance and headed toward the owl

"Oh, no you don't. We will not pay for you going to that freak school. You are going to have the freakiness beaten out of you and you are going to go to your school"

"I don't see why you'd oppose me going out of your lives and supposedly you no longer spending money on me. Not that you spend more than the minimum required." Harry said while picking up the letter and then tying his response to the owl's leg.

"Now, i think you should look a bit at Dudsley, who knows, maybe he strained something falling over himself like that. I bid you farewell." and with that he simply opened the door and left. Petunia was still looking in amazement at the closed door 5 minutes after all of this, wandering what has just happened

Harry, on his part, left at a slow pace towards a nearby park. He had to reach Hogsmeade and loose himself in the crowd. But first to the park. Here he found an out-of-the-way place and tried to see if he can change the way he looked. No reason to go into Hogsmeade just to let everyone know that he was into town. His only option currenly was to try and use his wandless ability to do that. "I'll have to fight Voldemort again... I need to acquire more abilities and knowledge... And then stop, somehow, the end of the world. Ugh... no pressure at all" To his surprise he was able to change the color of this face, hair and eyes quite easily. This at least according to the pool of water he was using as a mirror.

"All I need now is a cap to hide the scar and to get away from this place fast in case the Ministry detected my wandless casting"

However in the end, Harry was forced to admit that almost no one was going to the park in the middle of the summer with a cap, and he just didn't wanted to go and steal one. And he had no cash on his person to buy one. Looking in the mirror of a store, he decided that the scar is not very visible due to his hair, but a sudden gust of wind will just give him away.

Walking down the road, near the shop he started looking for a "help wanted" poster. After going down a few streets, he found his poster. It was in the window of a small coffee shop.

"Hi. I saw the poster and I'd like to know what you need help with"

The barman looked at him. "You can call me Wirlbow. I'm the owner and I need one day of help with arranging and inventory the stuff down the basement. Like bottles by type & category and the like. You'll help at this Vincent, who didn't show yet at work"

"And payment?"

"I'll pay you 5 pounds an hour."

"May I start now?" asked Harry. He knew what he was wearing did the most of not inspiring trust to anyone.

"Ok... Cathy, keep an eye over here. I'm going to miss for 5 mins" shouted Wirlbow to the waitress. "Come with me"

Going down, the barman started to explain "I want the wine this part of the wall, while the other bottles with drinks will he from here on. On this side I want the foods to be arranged by type, meats, cheese and so on. I'll send Vincent over as soon as he gets over here."

"Oh... And here eat this sandwich first"

"Huh..." asked Harry surprise. Of all things, this was something he had not expected.

"You look like you didn't had a meal in a long time. So I thought you might have something to eat to catch some energy"

"Thanks you very much sir!"

To his surprise, moving around all the wares proved to be tiresome, so to his list, Harry added - repair the damage growing at his relatives has caused.

By noon he was finished, so he went to call the owner to see if this was what he needed.

Wirlbow was happy about the job Harry has done and paid him the money. A visit to another shop and Harry was the owner of a black cap. With it on the head he appeared to Hogsmeade.

"Well...", as he was looking around. "Guess, first thing I have to do is to go to the bank"

He got close to one of the goblins that was near to the side

"Hello, I'd like to do a withdrawal, but I lost the key"

The goblin, looked sharply at him "I'll need a bit of your blood on this piece of parchment for confirmation of your identify"

"Sure, but I would like my identity to be kept under silence for now. Thanks" Harry took the dagger from the goblin and cut his finger, letting a few drops of blood to drop on parchment. The drops were absorbed and then writing started to flow from it, telling his name, that of his parents and to what vaults he had access to

"Here is your key" said the goblin looking strangely at him

Harry, looked at the goblin, interpreted its look like one of distrust, looked around to see if someone looks at him, and then just raised the cap to show his scar "I would like to go my trust vault"

"Please follow me" said the goblin, after a moment of shock

Down in his trust vault, Harry saw that while he could easily have bought the books and uniforms, he wouldn't be able to buy the latest broom

"Excuse me" he told the goblin "but if I may ask, how may I call you?"

The goblin, looked again shocked "Call me Garlock"

"Could you please tell me if there is any way that I can access my vault without having to come to the bank every time I want to withdraw?"

"It is. We have a pouch that can be linked to this vault and by which you can either withdraw, either deposit money. However, you'll be taxed with 2% of the sum each time you do an operation."

"Can this pouch be linked to more than one vault? In the case I want to open my own vault"

"It can be linked. However" said Garlock, looking at Harry with a "I know what you want to do" expression, "if you want this second vault not to be known to your guardian, I would recommend that you take another pouch for this purpose"

"Many thanks" said Harry bowing to the goblin. "Can you tell me if these pouches have anyway to let me know the amount of gold I still have in the vaults?"

"We can charm them, for a small fee, that when you open them, on the inside, near the mouth of the pouch to have inscribed the current sum available in the vault."

"Thanks. I'd like then to have one brown, linked to this vault, and one black, linked to the other vault."

After getting the pouches, Harry left to the Three Broomsticks Inn for lunch.

"Hi. I'd like something to byte. Whatever you have already available as I'm very hungry" he told to madame Rosmerta "and a room for tonight"

"That would be 2 galleons" said Rosmerta, turning and grabbing a plate, then starting to fill it with food. "Will you be staying more than tonight?"

"Maybe yes, maybe not. I haven't decided yet"

"How long will you be staying at most?"

Harry was looking at Madame Rosmerta with interest. Why so many qustions? "Until the 1st of September, if you find me a quiet room, where I can rest and read to my heart content"

"I can do that" she said, putting the plate in front of Harry. "I can give you a room, on the first level facing to road, for only 60 galleons, including meals."

"Any idea where I can get a map of the village? I've been visited when I was smaller, but

I don't know where each shop is located and what it sells."

"Here's a map, but I think you should have your guardian with you, before you venture to some of the alleys"

"I see. Thanks for the advice" said Harry amazed. He was supposed to be in here undercover, but already the goblins knew who he was. And if the previous conversation was to be judged, then Madame Rosmerta also knew he who was.

"You'll need to sign here" she said handing over the register.

Harry handed over the galleons and signed near a clearly marked Mr. H, where Rosmerta was pointing to him on the paper.

"What gave me away?"

"It's almost a requirement for us, who work in this business. You don't want to have someone lodging with you that will kill you during the night."

"Thanks for info" said Harry. "And the meal".

He opened the letter from Hogwarts, just to confirm that indeed if was written inside the same as last time.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

The second page with requirements says:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WHICHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

sets of plain work robes (black)

plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)

by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

Source(s):

From the Book: Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone

"Hm... looks like it's the same. But I will buy these items and more. First I need to get rid of these clothes I'm wearing, or people will kick me out of their shops thinking I came begging"

Entering Madam Malikin's shop, he ordered the uniform as well as clothes that he could wear underneath the robes during the long winter. Then off to Ollivander's Wand Shop "Better not to have to lug around all those books"

However when he entered the wand shop, he detected almost immediately Ollivander hidden among the shelves. Looks like he was actually having his share of fun scaring the new comers. "Too bad, I can't reveal himself" thought Harry

"Hello Mr. Potter" said Ollivander stepping from behind Harry. "I was expecting you, through truth to be told, I did not expect that you come alone to my shop"

"Hello" said Harry, still jumping, even if he knew where Ollivander was a second ago. "My chaperone is buying something for me at the moment. And I'm here to choose a wand"

"Ah... but the wand chooses the wizard, not the other way around. Tell me what do you feel about this one", said the owner of the shop putting a wand in Harry's hand. "Yeah, not this one" plugging it out of Harry's hand before it had time to say anything,

"Maybe this one... No, no, that wouldn't do. Maybe this one... Nope"

Finally, Ollivander came with the 11 inches long, made of holly and with a phoenix feather core that Harry knew so well. Harry took it in his hand, felt the warmth as the wand seem to recognize him, and then to both Harry's surprise and Ollivanders, it absorbed a few wands from the pile in front of them

"Well... this never happend before" said Ollivander amazed. "May I see the wand?"

"Sure, but what has actually happend?"

The shop owner started to cast spell after spell on the wand. Harry dutifully memorized all the moves and all that he could hear from Ollivander's mumbles. "Looks like your wand's decided that a phoenix feather core is not enough for you and decided to enforce itself by absorbing 2 dragon heartstrings, 2 unicorn hairs and one Kneazle whisker. I don't believe it has finished reinforcing itself."

But walking through the shop provided no more wands or anything for that matter absorbed.

"I stand by what I told you earlier, the wand will re-inforce itself as you will grow into your power. It just needs to find the appropriate materials. Could you give it a try now?"

Harry took the wand and just gave it a swish, however instead of some sparks like the first time around it gave a lots of colored balls.

"I believe, Mr. Potter, that we are going to see many great things in the future from your part. Now, I'm in somewhat of a conundrum. On one part I strongly believe you'd beneficiate from knowledge of wand crafting. On the other part you are just a 11 years old, which now starts to learn about magic and the info I'd like to teach you is either too advanced for you, either a family secret, either both"

"Ugh... I don't know sir, but I got like, a really good memory. I can memorize any of the info you'd like to share and just research on it later. I can come later for clarification or more info. Also I don't expect to come anywhere close to anything that I might harvest as a wand core in the next years. "

"Hm... let's see first this memory of yours" said Ollivander. "Follow me"

In the back of the shop, Ollivander took a book and gave it to Harry. "I'd like you to read this over the night and come back to me tomorrow. It details the components you can gather as cores for a wand from different magical beasts and the procedures to conserve them"

"None of the info in it is a secret. It's actually a sort-of-a-manual we use to give to people we hire to get components for me and my family. And btw, I'll test you on it tomorrow. See you tomorrow"

"Many, many thanks. I will be back tomorrow"

On the way out, Harry thought that before anything else, the trunk should be next. This proved to be quite a simple affair, as after looking through the shop he decided he will need for now and this year is a regular trunk with the featherweight and the auto-shrink charms included. The one he had in mind with multiple expanded compartments, security features and such would cost more than he had in his entire trust vault. "Guess this is a good project to work on this year"

The book shop proved to be the biggest time taker of them all. After getting his list of books, Harry just started looking for books that could be useful to him in the future. And the list just kept on growing and growing. In the end he decided against buying anything more than what was on the list. He'll have to read all he could from Hogwart's library, before coming here and buying more. However he memorized the titles of all the books on display.

"A good start" he thought to himself.

Back to the inn, he looked and memorized the whole book Ollivander has given to him. And here he stuck the limit on his gift. He could see and memorize at a glance the content of the book, but to actually understand the information in it, he had to read it and understand it. Making connections in between bits of information from a page at the beginning of the book with thinks written at the end or the middle, was even further away.

Harry's list took a new entry - find ways to improve his information and knowledge absorption abilities. After all literally more knowledge meant more power here and the more and faster you were able to absorb, the faster and closer to his goal he would get.

Another thing he added to the list was to remove Sirius from Azkaban. He had 2 options - capture the rat from Wesleys or to bust his godfather out. However before attempting any of the things he'd need to confirm the full range of his abilities. Especially if the last option is needed.

The second day, he decided that before anything else, first to go to buy Hedwig. He had a feeling Ollivander was going to take the reins onto this day, maybe days

Getting into the pet-shop he looked around but none of the owls for sale were his show-white owl. Going to the shop clerk "Excuse me, related the owls that are on display, are these everything you have for sale?"

"Yes, these would be all"

"No white owl, about his size?"

The clerk looked at him like he had suddenly grown another head "How do you know about that one?"

"From Hagrid, the Hogward's gamekeeper." lied Harry. "He sent me to pick it up. Said it would be the perfect familiar for me."

"Hm... come with me. I was preparing it for destruction, actually. It is scheduled for the next week. "

"I beg your pardon!?" said Harry, while following the clerk. "Why would you terminate this specific owl? Or any owl for that matter?"

"Euh... what did Hagrid told you about this specific owl?"

"Nothing more, then that what I already told you. And that made me curious enough to came see it"

"Well... this is actually the first time we had this specific kind of owl. Oh... "said the clerk, seeing Harry's expression, "we had before show owls, however, this one is rather... different. Larger than the average snow-owl, likes fried bacon instead of mice, sleeps during the night, instead of being active as any nocturnal bird should be and the most strange, the identifying charm, which should tell us the exact age and species of owl just returns unknown. This, of course, would not make me keep it, but all of the customers that came close to it left it alone, some even claiming that if they would think of owning this own they could see their deaths in the close future. That and when the owl decided to attack a couple of customers..."

Harry gave the shop clerk a long look. Figures. How could a gift from someone that has named a Cerberus Fluffy, be a simple owl.

"May I see it, before anything else?"

"Here it is"

Harry looked at the cage. And there is was. His Hedwig. "Hiya there girl. How are you?"

The owl looked at him with an expression that was as close to curiosity as an owl could manage. Eyes met eyes and for Harry the time seemed to stop. His memories of his time with it came to the front of his mind, from when he received it from Hagrid to her death. The happy times and the bad times. All of them.

"Sir... sir." He heard the panicked voice of the clerk.

"Yes, what's up?"

"I was trying to get your attention for the last couple of minutes. You just spaced out on me"

"Euh... what happened?"

"Nothing, you just looked at the owl and simply stop doing anything else"

"Okey... I'll buy the owl. And I'd like all the information you can give me about it. And about owls and familiars." Turning toward the snowy bird. "How would you like if I called you Hedwig?" The owl gave a short nod telling that it agreed.

After buying the treats and most of everything else needed for the next year, Harry opened the cage in which it was now and let Hedwig out. It took a short fly and landed in front of Harry on the shop's counter and started looking at him again, like questioning "What now?"

"I don't intend to put you in the cage Hedwig. If you want to hang around me, then it's your choice. I'm required to have a cage for you, however that doesn't mean I have to use it" he said smiling.

Hedwig, looked at him, like telling "Really?" then flew on a somewhat larger cage, the top of which could be taken apart so that only the support remained.

Harry, turning to the shop clerk "And that cage. And could you please shrink everything so I can more easily carry them around? Thanks"

"Sure" said the amazed clerk. " I must tell you that this is the first time I see any owl acting like this. As for the info you requested. All I know is that a couple of months ago, someone entered the shop and sold to me, saying that he found it in the woods, healed and was intending to have it as his owl, but it did not managed to make himself understood to it. He gave no name and I asked for none. Price was good enough for that. As for information on owl, familiars or familiar bonds, I recommend you to try the book shop."

Hedwig flew to the counter, and started to act like it was trying to tell "I know where you can find the information you are seeking"

"Ok, girl. Just show me the way" Harry said picking the stuff he just bought and putting it in the pockets.

Hedwig flew to the book shop, but instead of going to books section, it just landed to the parchment section. At her instructions and insistence, Harry chose a roll of never-ending parchment and a top of the range mind-linked quill.

"Ok, now what?" said Harry to the owl.

Hedwig picked her wing, drawing blood then flew over to Harry's shoulder in such a way that a drop of blood dropped on the mind-linked quill. The quill glowed for a couple of seconds and then taking a life of its own, started to write

"Ah, much better. We can now communicate without me having to play the pantomime"

"Hedwig, how is that you know all of this? And why did you not show this to me before?"

"Just something I picked up along. And I have no idea, at least none now. Might have one after I examine your full memories" wrote the quill

"Should we seek a quiet corner? Or go to the inn" verbally asked Harry. "I think the shop clerk is coming this way"

And indeed the clerk was starting to have a fit when he saw the quill writing by itself.

"Sir, since you mind-linked the quill to you, I must insist that you buy it now."

"That's not a problem; through I would like to know - can you have the quill linked to more then one person?"

"No, one this is activated, it can write only the directed thoughts of that person. Trying to link it to a second person will only make it to write junk on the parchment"

"Ok, then I would like to buy 2 of them." This could be more then useful to write notes and especially things he should research further during the lessons and the visits to the library

"Two mind-linked auto-inking quills? Like in one plus one equal two?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"They are rather... expensive. The spell work needed to make them is something that very few can do." said the clerk. And indeed after the transaction was finished in Harry's trust vault there were left only around 57 galleons and a few knuts.

Looking at the owl with a "I hope it was worth it" kind of look Harry left to the inn

Picking from the inn's counter a meal and telling that he's like not to the disturbed for lunch, Harry walked in his room, put Hedwig's cage near the table. Took off the top of the cage, set the scroll on the table and the mind-linked quill onto the scroll.

"By the way Hedwig, after lunch I need to be at Ollivander's Wands shop. He's going to teach me how to add extra cores to my wand"

"I tought that a wand had only one core for a very good reason? From what I know trying to have more than one core usually makes the wand go boom" replied Hedwig

"Apparently, for somewhat reason, mine doesn't. Go boom that is. Nor do I felt different using it, from the feeling I remember when I had used it. Currently it has a phoenix core, 2 of dragon heartstrings, 2 of unicorn and 1 of kneazle."

"Strange combination. Then you probably use only one core, while the others are dormant. Just a theory, but it would explain why it did not explode."

"How come you know so much about wands?" asked Harry

"I like the name you gave me, Hedwig, but my first name was Glaucus and was given to me by Athena, the goddess of wisdom."

"Athena, like the Greek goddess? Like in the times when Troy was under attack?" asked Harry gob-smacked.

"Yes, that Athena, and I was created and named long before that war. Obviously, during my life I have had gathered quite a bit of knowledge."

"Wait a second. Go back to the goddess part. A real goddess, with godly powers and all of that?"

Hedwig emitted some noises that sounded disturbingly similar to a laugh "Yes, a honest-to-god goddess. Through we'll have now to define what a god or goddess is. But I feel this is a topic better for other times. I'm very interested in your memories and I would like to see them all, from your birth to the current time. Maybe I should not had say see, but experience them. This means that you will remember things that you would rather like to forget, like for example pain."

"I have had a lot of pain in my life Hedwig, or should I call you Glaucus? I don't want to experience that all over again. From when I was a kid and beaten by my relatives, to 50 something years of surviving literally hell."

"I need to experience your memories before I commit myself to you. I need to know you as intimate as you know yourself. If not even more than that. The bond between the two of us will mean that I can talk directly to you, mind to mind, no matter the distance between us. This also means that I'll be able to draw onto your abilities, while you will be able to draw onto mine. While it is possible to break a familiar bond, doing such a thing means terrible loss and pain for both sides. I did not survived over 3 millennia by jumping to the every first human that wanted to bond!"

"Okay, okay, but remember I need to be at Ollivander after lunch. Or we, if you'd like to come"

"It will take a few minutes in real time, but for you, internally you'll relive your whole live again. Please look into my eyes"

From outside it seemed close to a quarter of an hour, but internally both of them experienced Harry's life. Day by day, since his first memories, some of which not even the dementors were able to bring them up. He saw Voldemort killing his mother again. He experienced all the Harry hunting again. He fought the basilisk again and rode the goblin's dragon once more. He married and sent his kids to school once more. Then experienced the first radiation blast again.

Both of them broke the connection at that moment and vomited.

"That was damn INTENSE!" wrote the quill. "You kept going to THAT for 50+ years? And your mind is still working? Forget working, it's more than a miracle that you are not a raving lunatic. Or a psychotic killer. Normally humans would retract to vegetable state, into coma, only to escape THAT kind of pain."

"Aye, I supported on and off those blasts. It gets worse as we get further on, no food, no water and no air. I think the best would be if we skip to the end of that period just before I waked up in the cupboard under the stairs again"

"Any blasts like that in the last moments?"

"Nope"

"Ok, look into my eyes again"

This time, the "look" was short a few seconds. For a few minutes, Hedwig looked pensive as if deciding what and how to continue

"To respond to your question of why did I not bonded to you at first. Well... that version of Hedwig wasn't me. It was my body all right, but my mind was gone, not my own. Simply by going into the pet shop a few days latter this time, you saved me from a fate that for me it was way worse than death. It would me like someone would make you go back to the intelligence of an ape and then put you in the circus and teach you a few tricks to entertain the public"

Hedwig continued. "Please call me Hedwig. I don't want any of the parties that were able to do that before to do it again. And knowing my true name will only make their work so much easier."

Looking at Harry again, like trying to decide something "I will bond to you, even if only to get a change of getting the Perfect Recall ability. Forgetting myself is something that WILL NOT HAPPEN again!"

Taken back by her vehemence, Harry asked "What I need to do?"

"I'll write the ritual that you need to follow on the parchment and the materials that you need to get. Fortunately this doesn't need to be done at a specific time."

The quill kept on writing and drawing diagrams for the next 20 so minutes. "All right, done"

Looking through the list, Harry saw that he had to buy some things, while some he already had. "Hedwig, can I replace the bowl with my school bowl I've bought for potions? I'm not high on gold at the moment"

"No, please no. That will keep both our blood for the ritual and if it's made from anything else then ceramic, it might interact and I'm not sure how things will evolve from there on"

To his surprise, gathering the supplies needed from various shops and copying the drawings of Hedwig with chalk on the floor took him only 3 hours. After making the corrections to the places where he copied the design wrong, they were ready. Performing the ritual was even easier.

"Hedwig, can you hear me?" though Harry

"Loud and clear" answered a smug owl. "And yes, I share your perfect recall. By the way, we should run to Ollivander, it's already passed lunch"

Ollivander was waiting for them at the counter.

"Ah... Mr. Potter, I was almost given up on you. What took you so long?"

"Sorry sir. I met this morning my familiar and as you can expect this took more than a bit of sorting out"

"Your familiar? Are you sure about that? Very few of the wizards or witches actually manage to meet their familiar."

"Very sure."

"The timing of this... familiar meeting... is disturbing." said Ollivander. "For a wizard's familiar is magical as well. Not in the sense that it can cast spells, but in the sense that a bond is created in-between them and the death of one will greatly affect the other. In a negative sense. Also, the timing is disturbing, because you can use the core from one of the feathers of your familiar to add it to your wand."

Harry looked at Hedwig, back to Ollivander, and back to Hedwig. "You are right sir. This is extremely convenient. But, I'm going to look a gift's horse in the mouth. Any specific feather I should ask Hedwig if she wants to give?"

"Any she'll give will do"

"I'll give you 2 feathers from the wings. One from the left and one from the right wing" And going over the counter if left on it the 2 feathers.

"One might say that she's understanding the english language" said Ollivander with a joking tone.

"Euh... I'm not sure sir, but I think she does"

"Anyway", said the wand maker, brushing the notion aside as absurd, "what did the book said about preparing a core from a feather?"

Harry tough at Ollivander's book's index, then to the respective page. "I need to remove all the small lateral feathers and the outside shell of the feather to reach the inner core. This must be done very delicate as in not to damage the core. Then I need to put it inside the appropriate wood core. Core that needs to be without nodes"

"Very well, even if somewhat slow. The movements for the spell are like this" said Ollivander demonstrating how to perform.

A moment after the core of the feather was free it started to glow, while Harry's wand glowed as well. The next moment the core was no more.

"I believe that if we check now we'll find out that the new core has joined the others inside your wand" And performing the diagnostic spells, showed the expected results.

"Here" said Ollivander "try doing the same using this wand. Don't use your wand before school starts. You don't want to be expelled before even starting school. Actually only just fined, but still unneeded."

"Okay..." Giving a swish thou the air, Harry made a few sparks left the replacement wand

"Ah, I noticed that you can realize the difference in-between the wands. As you can see your spells will be way down-powered using any other wand than you own. Through truth to be told I was expecting this kind of reaction when you got matched with your wand, and not a whole light show. Now show me the movements"

Harry obeyed and performing the movements, he got the core of the feather.

"Interesting. You did intend to get the core out, right?" said the shop owner as the new core was vanishing from sight.

"Yes sir. Why do you ask?"

"Because you did not told the spell or even mumble it. You just performed the moments, with a sub-par wand I might add. And yet you got exactly the results desired. Another thing to fill aside and think about it Mr. Potter."

At that moment, Hedwig flew and picked Harry's wand only to have it dropped into Harry's hand.

"Thanks Hedwig" said Harry aloud. "What was that about?" continued via their link

"Just checking if I can perform magic as well" came the reply "And yes, I can, though not with your wand. It's simply not appropriate for me. Nor is the shape of the foci. I'll need something more ring like, so I'm not disturbed while I fly and I can't drop it in case I'm attacked."

"Ok, we'll explore this further on after we get back to the inn"

The lesson continue for a few hours afterwards, Ollivander questioning Harry on like every third word from the book.

"Very well, Mr. Potter. I must say that I'm impressed with what you've been able to learn from that book. And seeing that you wand just absorbs the cores by itself, I think I will not have to give away any of my family's secrets after all."

"Sir, would it be possible, since I have multiple cores, to have detrimental effects like, I don't know, spell going bad due to it or something like it?"

"No, I would say that no. Of course, since nobody managed to use a multi-core wand until you, I can't say that I'm 100% sure. You see, the wand act like a object of focus for a wizard. It's a prop that you'll have to use to be able to cast magic. Sort of like your glasses here, that corrects you vision. Now, there have been tried to have multiple cores into a wand before, in the hope that a more powerful wand would be created, or more of the wizard's magic will be focused; but all the tries had the same result - the wand exploded, either taking the hand of the wizard in question, either taking more."

"I don't know sir. It's like only my phoenix core is active, while the others refuse to channel the magic and are just dormant. Does it make any sense what I'm saying?"

"Very very much. This was also theorized, but so far nobody managed to inactivate a core inside a wand and then to enable it at will. Also, in theory, it should be possible to have multiple spells at leaving the wand at the same time. One spell per core. However this would mean that you'll need to have different thoughts at the same time. So, unless you have a second personality... Another theory said that you could put the cores into a resonance formation. One core amplifying the effect of the other, then the effect being amplified once more by the next core and so on until it leaves the wand. The end result would be spells thousands of times more powerful intended."

"Resonance sir?" asked Harry confused.

"I don't know how to explain this better to you. Let's say you have a plank. And you hit it easy in the middle. The plank respond to this by moving down a bit, bending down, in the direction of the hit, and then bending back up in the direction opposed. Then again down. If at this moment you hit it again with the same small force, the plank will bend down more. Repeat every time, and at a moment, even if the over-all force applied is small, by hitting at the right time the plank will simply break as if subjected to a rather large force. Similar, the magic would be drained bit by bit from you, but the end result would be much more spectacular and powerful then you could do it with just one core."

"I see... So basically, I have to figure it out how to activate the cores in my wand and to make them interract in such a way as to not explode in my hand."

"Basically, yes. Now, Mr. Potter, I have someone here that would like very much to talk to you"

As Harry turned around to the direction Ollivander was pointing, Albus appeared and took a step up front "Hello, Harry"


	4. Manipulators, manipulators and manipu

Disclaimer: I'm just playing in the HP universe and a few others universes as well… (will decide on the universes as the story evolves). The characters and universes belong to their authors and all I own is the bit of fun of writing this fan fic down

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4. Manipulators. manipulators and... manipulators

Albus was in somewhat of a conundrum. Today all the instruments linked to Harry had gone from the regular silent monitoring to their most absolute noisiness and then back to the silent monitoring again within the space of a few second. If he didn't happen to be there at that precise moment, he would have never known.

But what has happened? Currently the only difference from before was that Harry's life sign was somehow stronger. Somehow more defined. But then an hour or so later, they all stopped, like their object of monitored was both alive and dead, like it was there, yet not. None of it made sense, so this might be a good time as any for a visit.

However when he reached the house in Privet Drive, Harry was no longer there, and Petunia proved to be most un-cooperative. As usual it had started by screaming that she doesn't want freaks in her house, but in the end Albus did find out that Harry apparently knew beforehand that he was going to get the Hogwarts letter and he doesn't intend to come back to his relatives anymore. Having enough of screams he decided to pick up the memories both of Petunia and Dudsley for that morning then, return to his office.

This did raise a few questions – like how did he knew about the letter that was incoming and more importantly where was he now.

Albus decided to call the Order and have them comb the place looking after Harry, but as he was returning to his office a call from Ollivander told him where to find Harry. Ollivander however was very enthusiastic about a certain wand. Maybe too enthusiastic. But then the man was living and breathing for wands. But he was going to meet with Harry the next day, so Albus joined in for the ride.

Harry was late, however in the end he did arrived. Albus decided to stay disillusioned and watch. The conversation proved to be the least informative. Albus was expecting to see a small boy, meek and shy. Indeed Harry was physically small for his age, but the way he caries himself, the way he was moving was screaming confidence and a "don't mess with me" attitude. He had come here with the plan to bring him back to his relatives, but like they say no plan survives the first meeting with the enemy. Time to see what's going on

"Hello Harry"

Harry turned, looked at the headmaster "Hello sir". Harry decided to play the "I'm new to this place" role. Also, but not known to Harry at the time when he accepted to relieve everything before bonding with Hedwig was that by bringing his memories in chronological order he was now able to perfectly recall every moment of his live at wish. And while the enormous amount of information still needed to be ordered and indexed he did remember a picture of Gandalf from a book he had seen. "Not to be rude, but are you Gandalf?" continued Harry.

"No, I'm not. Why would you think that?"

"Due to your beard. The only time I saw something like it was when I saw a picture of Gandalf."

"No, I'm Albus Dumbledore. Headmaster of Hogwarts" replied Albus somewhat amused.

"Oh, sorry. You do look quite a lit like him. I believe I saw your name on the invitation letter I've received. Say" Harry got out the letter "what is a mugwump?"

"A leader of sorts, in cases of problems"

"Well... there is a problem in this letter which almost made me to consider it an elaborate joke at the first sight. You see, if I interpret this correctly, the International Confederation of Wizards is a reunion of most, if not all of the wizards in the world, or at least a large portion of it, and you are the supreme leader of this confederation, which puts you in a very high position. Probably something along the lines of a leader of the whole word, basically you decide where the world is going next. At the same time you are the headmaster of a school. Taking care of the children that accepted to learn magic. Making sure that the children are fed, well taken care of, both mentally and physically as well as dealing with special cases. Among your titles I see Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock as well. Assuming the last 2 are only titles and not actual functions which would imply even more responsibility. how is that the two jobs of yours are compatible? On the same line of reasoning, when do you find the time to do the both of them?"

Albus looked at Harry in a new light. While he was used to people picking at him or at his actions, this was the first time someone was picking at his abilities to do his job or jobs. Laughing softly "If you'll allow an old man to keep some of his secrets, I'll just say that while it's indeed taking most of my time, no one complained so far that I don't do an adequate job"

"Sorry sir, but in the world I come from, a higher up leader is guarded by multiple body-guards and doesn't usualy have the time to take a kid out for a talk. Unless that kid is his/her own or the kid did something terribly wrong. Which one did I do?"

"None of them, at least as far as I know" said Albus eye twinkling madly. "You are a rather special case, which does enter under my attributions as your headmaster. And in the interest of making sure things work out smoothly in the future, I decided to met with you and see if you need something. Maybe we should seek some place more secluded to talk?"

"I stay at madame Rosmerta's inn. And we can have dinner as well" said Harry, after his stomach started to growl.

"Sure. Please led the way. See you tomorrow Ollivander" said Albus. He was more then mystified This was not the way an 11 years child was supposed to behave. Forget about muggle or wizard, even adversaries on the political arena were rarely able to make such analyses. He definitively needed to figure out what was with this child.

Bidding his farewell from the wand shop owner, Harry looked at his owl, and together they started to the inn.

"Hedwig" said Harry via the mind-link. "I'm going to assume that Albus is going to want to visit the root we stay in at least. Or move me to another location in the worst case. Can you go to the room and remove the traces of the ritual? Don't know put something over them or something..."

"I'll see what I can do" replied to owl, taking her leave. "Are you going to be ok alone with Albus?"

"Don't know, I don't know how much I should trust him at this time. He did allowed himself to be killed for his greater good. But on the other hand he likes to manipulate people way too much. Anyway, if I get in a pinch I'll ask for help"

"Good luck".

On the way to the inn, Harry continues the discussion. "I assume Ollivander told you who I am and where you could find me?"

"Yes indeed, through I did not expect you to be looking like this. Who teached you those spells?"

"I read them from a book in that shop" said Harry, pointing to the book shop. "I believe its title was 120 spells for your look. My problem was to perform them without using a wand"

"Beg your pardon? You mean you did them with no wand? But that's rather impossible for someone your age"

"I beg to differ sir. As you can see" said Harry, making his skin color a few shades darker "this is not that hard"

"Why did you felt the need to alter your aspect, Harry?"

"Caution, sir. I was exploring a total new environment for me."

"How did you knew where the alley was? How did you enter it, for that matter?"

"I noticed since a long time certain individuals that were around my relative's house. And while they were almost always dressed, let's say out-of-ordinary, the feature that catched my eye was that they could appear and disappear with a slight noise. Keeping an eye on them, I saw at a moment one that raised a hand and a bus appeared in front of him. I just did the same and asked to be brought here and passed once with a few people through that moving wall"

To Albus, the fact that wizards were hanging around Harry's relatives, made him forget about everything else. "Are you sure that whose were wizards?"

"Pretty sure. They were moving like they were looking for something around the place. More then a few times I saw one or more of them that were with the hands in the air, like feeling for something."

For Albus, this was the confirmation of his worse nightmares. Harry's location was known to deatheaters now, and the blood wards, while the best were still static and defended only a part of the place Harry was roaming around.

"You see Harry, about 10 years ago a very very bad wizard was defeated. I will not enter the details, but know only that you had something to do with it's defeat and his servants are looking since that day after you to have their revenge. I believe you just told me that they've located you"

"Sir, if this has happened 10 years ago then I was then 1 year old. How can one so young defeat a full grown wizard?"

"Heheh, good question. Apparently it was a ritual done by your mother. Both your parents were expecting for Voldemort, the bad wizard in question, to come after them. This allowed them to prepare"

Entering the inn Harry walked to madame Rosmerta to order the dinner. Looking at Albus he asked for it to be delivered to a table that was in a darker corner of the room.

"Sir, could you please tell me more about what has happened 10 years or more ago?"

Albus put the privacy charms up "I will Harry, but first I want to know a few things"

"Sir?"

"Like how did you knew that you'll receive yesterday your Hogwarts letter and why did you told your aunt that you'll never come back"

"How did you knew I left my relatives? asked Harry taking a guarded look"

"Please respond to my questions, and I'll respond in my turn as well"

"Ugh... I was treated sort of like a slave in that house. Beatings included." Seeing the doubtful expression of Albus, Harry raised a hand. "I can show you the scars if you'd like. Here at the table, or where ever you want. And related to the letter, I had a dream about it. A rather strange dream, if I can call it like that"

"Let's take it one thing at a time. Tell me about your dream"

"I'd rather not sir. You see the dream also warned me against you and since the first part was true enough, I will keep quiet about it."

Albus was wondering is he should use legilimency on Harry or not. If this was a test of some kind from the one on the other side of the table. But what 11 years old performs tests like this one on someone which he met for the first time today? "Very well Harry, we will talk about this dream of yours at a latter date. Regarding the scars, would you mind if I set up a meeting with Poppy, the school's medi-witch?"

"It's ok with me, if you can plan it for tomorrow morning. It was my intention to go to St. Mungo's Hospital for a check up anyway. I'm especially interested in having my vision corrected, if possible."

"Very well, Harry. I will tell you the story of what happened and why you are someone that we must protect" Albus told then how Voldemort raised to power, how he killed and tortured thousands, how his parents were among the ones that opposed him and the price they payed for it. How he survived the impossible and why he was hidden from the magical world since then.

During this time Hedwig, reached for Harry "I can't get in. The window is locked and there is no way I can get through the door."

"Damn this would have been so easy if you could cast a simple Alahomora"

"I'm a magical bird, I borrow some of your abilities through our bond, but I don't have a wizard's magical core to be able to cast anything. I do have my own kind of magic, however. It just lacks power."

"Do you think I could push some of my magic / power through the link?"

"Try it. We'll never know until you try it"

"Ok, here goes nothing" said Harry, imagining the link that connects him to Hedwig and how it was growing thicker and a bit of his power goes to help Hedwig

"Harry, stop it! It hurts, it's too much power. Let me try the unlocking spell now" said Hedwig as Harry stopped sending his magic. "Could you send me the movements you do with your wand as well? I'm not sure how to well it will work since I don't have a foci with me. Maybe send me how you do the wandless magic stuff?"

"I don't make any signs or movements when I'm performing the wandless magic, I just concentrate on what I want to achieve, try to picture the end result in my mind, and the rest just happens"

"Done, but I feel soooo tired" said Hedwig

"Can you try to tap into my magic. To take as much as you need? Like drinking water from a pipe" Harry send to the owl the image of him drinking from the garden hose.

"I think I can do that. Oh, yes, all good now. I banished the traces of the ritual and the items we used."

"Thanks Hedwig"

Back to his discussion with Albus, he noticed that for all the time he spent talking with Hedwig, only a few moments have passed.

"Euh... Hedwig, any idea on how fast we communicate actually? I am talking to Albus in the same time, but he just seems to go on a slow speed"

"Can't give you any number, but I think it's the speed of though" he heard the owl's laugh

"Heheh..."

"Now, because of you being very important to us, I would like to assign a few people to guard you Harry. She is training to be an auror and is one of the best despite the fact that she's young. Her name is Tonks and if I'm not mistaking she will join us at the school in the last year. The one that will replace her in case of need will be a war veteran named Moody. He is her trainer in the auror corps and you'll recognize him by his magical eye that keeps moving all the time and because he has more scars on him then I have hairs in my beard." he heard Albus as he was giving the headmaster his attention once more.

"Are they going to stay in the same room as me?"

"I would like that you are protected as much as possible."

"Then can I get to perform magic without getting fines? If I have dark wizards after me and 2 experts as body-guards I see no reason why I shouldn't learn from them until the school starts." asked Harry

"For someone who just found out that he's a wizard 2 days ago and now he's finding that someone is out there to kill you, you are too calm" observed Albus

Harry just smiled "Do you know the saying - "Fear is the mind killer", sir? I believe it to be appropriate for this situation."

"Very well, I will get you an exceptional licence to be able to perform magic outside school. But note that your spells will be monitored and recorder. And I will be among the people that will have a copy of that scroll. As for Tonks" Albus raised a hand "here she is"

Harry looked and saw a very old and frail man picking up a chair and sitting at their table

"Euh... didn't you said she's, well... a girl. And young?"

"Mind out of the gutter, Harry" said Tonks while changing to her usual bubble pink persona.

However Harry was staring at her, making her feel uncomfortable. "Sorry for staring" he said in the end after breaking eye contact, then turning to Albus "can I learn to do that?"

"I'm afraid that metamorphmagus abilities are something you cannot learn. You either are born with them or you are not."

"How do you find out if you have them?"

"I can answer that better" said Tonks. "Ever had any feature of yours that was modified and you did not like how it looked and it changed back to how it was? Usually after a sleep?"

"Euh... I think that yes. My aunt cut my hair a few times and I really didn't liked the shaved skull look. But in the morning my hair was back to its usual length and messiness. Speaking of hair I never need to cut my hair as it doesn't grow"

"Then this means that you are probably a metamorphmagus. Or at least a partial one." Seeing the question on Harry's face, she continued "Yes, to be a full metamorphmagus is a long and hard road. Not many finish it. And the ones that stop somewhere on the road are able to change only some features. Those are the partial ones."

"I see and I would like to learn this. Any books you can tell me about this?"

Tonks started to laugh "Harry, this ability is that rare among the wizards that all books that exists are only theories of others about this ability. Any you sound more and more like a bookworm"

"You'll be able to report to Albus, that I read very fast" Tonks laugh stopped and her face dropped. "It's ok, I will subject to monitoring if I can learn to control this ability"

"Don't look so surprised Nymphadora" said Albus. "You'll see that Harry here is well above his peers." Looking to Harry, he added "And I will keep you responsible well above your peers as well, Harry. Please do not make me regret this"

"Oh, Harry, I will prank you for this"

"Good, good, more stuff to learn" responded Harry smiling

"That was definitively the wrong thing to answer"

Going up in the room, Harry saw that the place was showing no traces of the bonding ritual and that already there was a second bed on the other side of the room. "Thanks Hedwig. I own you one"

"I hope you pay in bacon" was the amused answer.

"When did they bring in the second bed?"

"3-5 minutes ago"

Turning to Tonks and Albus "At what time should we expect you sir?"

"Harry, I'm going to stress that magic is a very dangerous and impredictible thing and you are going to hurt yourself if you go too fast."

"You are probably right sir" said Harry, "but then you also said that I have the followers of a dark lord on my back. For my safety I should learn quickly. There is also one more thing" Harry focused for a second, his eyes glowed slightly and then all the objects in the room started to float "I really need to be able to finely control this magic stuff or I might hurt somebody even if I don't intend to."

Needless to say that at that moment the only things that were on the floor were the jaws of Albus and Tonks.

* * *

It was night but sleep was far away from Harry. He was thinking at what has happend in the last 2 days or so.

"You know Harry, if you keep running things like this through your head, I can't sleep"

"Sorry Hedwig, but I was thinking of my power and my knowledge. Looks like I kept them at the same levels as before turning back. I even got the ability to remember everything I see, hear or taste. The question is if I'm powerful enough to beat Voldemort again, keep a lot of people alive this time, resist the manipulations of the headmaster or better yet convert him to my purposes and in the end find out how to keep even more people from being wiped out"

"Yeah, no pressure at all. Just a walk in the park. Regarding your memory, it's not only what you hear, see or taste, but all of your senses. All of them"

"I don't see much use if I remember how the sheets feel or the exact aroma of the apple I've eaten this evening"

"Ah, but you are wrong here. You have more then 5 senses. Tell me which on of the senses above tells you if the bed sheets you lie in are cold or hot?"

"I see what you mean. I actually have more senses then 5, but I never though about them that way. Through in hindsight it's obvious"

"Yes Harry. You should determine exactly how many senses you have and their limits. And I think that if you are to get more senses in the future, those will be retained in your memory as well. For example, I can see in what you call ultraviolet." Hedwig sent him a image with how it she sees.

"Think I will be able to see like you? I prefer to have more info then less. Eve if might never find it useful"

"I don't know. I am able to see in such a way due to my eyes, but then you don't have owl eyes. Talking about you ability. Did you noticed that the one that has granted it to you was wearing his face on a henky?"

"What?!" Harry, though back to his moments with John and indeed it looked that around John's face there was a piece of cloth colored like the skin on which a nose was pictured and a moving mouth "How the hell did I not noticed something this strange when I talked with him?"

"He might had you under a confudus charm. After all, what I can experience are your memories, your point of view as to speak, not the absolute truth. Then there is the in-between moments of time stuff. I can tell you that Athena, or any of the other gods I saw were never able to do such a thing. I'm not sure if they even though about it. And nor is he any of the gods I know of or any avatar or representation that I know of."

"So that ball that should make a real-time copy of my mind could be anything else?"

"It could be a ball that does exactly like he said. But then it could be anything else as well. However he did grant you this Perfect Recall ability. While excedently rare - I believe there are 6 or 7 recorded cases in the whole of human history - it's an ability that belongs to the human race. So his actions, at least on that part are truthful to his word. Which gives a higher probability that the mind-linked ball is true as well. Or it might be an elaborate hoax."

Harry though for a moment. "So, is John a god?"

"Can't actually answer. He could a wizard that had you under confudus and granted you this ability through some means that you don't remember. The ultimate test of this would be for you to be obliviated and that to have no effect on you. Also, he might be just someone with very high magical powers like a higher-up fae"

"Fae? Hedwig, what's that?"

"Let's say a much more powerful fairy. Usually they wield great magical powers and are mischievous. Would rather trick you then help you"

"When we talked about Athena, you said something along the lines of depends of how you define a god. Why that?"

"Ever heard of the cargo cult?"

"Can't hay that I've ever heard about it"

"Well, this appeared in the Pacific islands during the second world war. The natives have seen people come in great ships, made of strange materials, having strange powers. That these people could destroy and create things very fast and with ease. Then they left leaving some of theirs behind. These ones were talking in some small boxes and in return were receiving various goods. Some of the locals though to try and imitate, maybe they would receive something in return. Some others natives just wanted to rule over the others. And such the cargo cults appeared. Fast forward a generation or two, and some of those people are now praying to a small box hoping the gods will send them goods and as this fails to happen they find reasons why the gods are angry with them and what penance they should endure to appease the gods. Similar Athena was a god to the people of ancient Greece, however Athena was only a human shaped avatar to a race that were exploring the space, going from star to star. And yes, they knew about magic, through theirs was vastly different then what you have. Also, on a side note, they also had their gods."

The emotions of incredulity from Harry was of such a magnitude that Hedwig started to laugh. "No, I did no lie to you. I never saw the true shape of Athena's race, but from what I was able to understand they were exploring this region of space and found the human race entertaining enough to spend a few centuries to study"

"Hold a second Hedwig, you just told me that there are aliens out there. I find this quite hard to came in terms with."

"Why? Is magic any more normal then aliens? And think if of this way. The Milky way galaxy has somewhere around 100 billions stars. If only 1 in a thousand have planets and only one in ten thousand of those planets has given birth to life then you have something like ten thousand races. If any of those races is much more older then the human race then they could know many things that the human did not discover yet."

"Well... if you put it this way... I think that magic would be actually the more weirder then aliens." After a moment "Hedwig, how come you know so much both of the wizard and the muggle words?"

"Because we share the same planet" came the amused answer. "And I was raised by a goddess that prided herself as the representative for intelligence and wisdom, among other qualities.. She also made me into a symbol for those qualities. I made it my way that I live up to my reputation."

After a few moments Hedwig continued. "Speaking of gods, in your memories from this first year at Hogwarts I saw a cerberus called Fluffy. After we lodge in, can you take me to see it please?"

"Sure, no problem. But why?"

"You see, all the greek gods continued their exploration of space and left earth. Some left behind things and creatures they cared about but they could not take with them. I'd like to see if the cerberus is one from that times or if a younger one."

After a few more seconds Harry continues "Any idea what skills did they had? I'm interested to learn and replicate what I can"

"The best would be to show you one of their discussions that got out of hand"

And Harry felt himself pulled into Hedwig's memory. Strangely similar experience to a pensieve. "Hedwig, hold a second please."

"Yes?"

"The image you showed me before and the memory you show me now are different. I don't perceive the extra light your eyes can see. I mean I see and hear just find, like in a pensieve, but I know you perceive and hear more then me. Yet I can't perceive them right now."

"The only difference is that I sent you that image, when this is one in which I pulled you in. Never knew until now about such differences. Anyway it should be enough to give you an idea of what they could do."

And Harry saw as 3 of the gods were discussing something about their ship. But the discussion was too technical for Harry to make any sense of it. There was clear that one resource was limited and one wanted to use it in a way that one of the others did not agree. The third was just waiting for the others two to reach a conclusion and move on. After what seemed to be like 20 minutes or so, twin lightning fall from the sky and hit the two talkative ones. Some orders were barked and then the third one left. As Harry through the eyes of Hedwig got close to the two bodies he could see limbs charred by the power of lightning. However under his gaze the limb were healing at an astonishing rate. In less then half a minute they were back as before.

"Was that Zeus?"

"Yes, indeed. Or better said, its avatar. I see that you didn't understand the language. It was ancient greek. You'll need to learn quite a few languages around me" said Hedwig laughing again. "I will not do extra work for you when you have this sweet ability. Anyway" she continued on a more serious tone "you probably noticed that Zeus, did not spoken any spell and did not made any movements. Sort of like your wandless ability, but at a much larger scale. And you saw the bodies of the other two how they took a lethal blow and just shrugged it off. Their almost instant healing abilities. In their case it was sort of like a light blow to the back of the head for you. A sort of - get on with it. To give you an idea of the physical abilities of their avatars I'll show you a physical fight in between Ares and Hercules."

Harry was pulled into another memory "This time two men were facing one another. Both were wearing armor through one was a familiar leathery armor while the other was made of a strange flowing metal. Both were having two swords. They started by running one at another and by parring and trying to kill the other. Harry could tell that this was not a sparring session but the true thing from which only one walks alive. At a moment the one in the metal like armor got through the guard of the other one and lunged to remove the head of the one in the leathery armor. But this one just done a barrel roll to the left and picking a rock two times the size of Harry simply threw it at the other one which cut it in pieces and shoot his second sword like a knife through the cloud of debris trying to get advantage of the reduced field of sight caused by the rock itself.

"As you probably guessed the one in the metal like armor is Ares." said Hedwig. "I'm going to slow down the memory to allow you to see how he cut that rock to pieces."

"My god" exclaimed Harry "he made like a few hundred cuts in the space of a tenth of a second. Right?"

"Faster actually. And more so, the cuts were in such a way as to make the pieces of rock to go and hit Hercules All of this by the means of a sword, no magic. He wasn't called the god of war for nothing after all. And you saw how easy did Hercules threw that rock, which by my appreciations weights 3 or 4 times your weight. For them if they decided that you needed to be killed it did not matter if it was done by magic, by physical force, by poison, by treason or by other means as log as it was done."

"How can I even learn to do that?" asked Harry with a very small hearth. His abilities looked like nothing compared to all of that

"I don't know, but I can tell that you need to improve greatly to be able to reach your goals. And I'd start with your mind and body. The "Mens sana in corpore sano" saying is not for naught."

"Sorry but what did you just say?"

Hedwig emitted a very audible sight "It means a healthy mind in a healthy body. You have a piece of soul embedded in that scar of yours which I very strongly believe you should get rid of. Think of it like a free pass access to your mind for Voldemort. No matter how well defended your mind is, Voldemort can simply pop in as he likes because that piece of soul is already inside your defenses. And second your body must be healed and brought to where is should have been should you had a normal childhood. After that you can even consider of re-enforcing it and anything further. And lastly I also want you to increase your mind's capabilities"

"Well... hopefully tomorrow madame Pomfrey will provide me with the potions needed. And what do you mean with the part about my mind?"

"Well... do you know what intelligence is?"

"How fast you learn stuff?" replied Harry

"Close enough but not quite. You need not only to learn stuff, you need to apply it as well. Say you learn how to add one plus two, but this knowledge is useless if you don't realize that you can use it in a market. This is the part of intelligence where you analyse the situation and apply to it the best skill for it. Let's call it the life savvy part of intelligence, the awareness reasoning. There is also the memory, which was lucky taken to perfection by John, in your case. Then there is the raw power, the pure number of situations or possibilities your mind can imagine/try per second. There are also aspects that belong to intelligence like abstract thought, understanding, self-awareness, communication, reasoning, learning, having emotional knowledge, retaining, planning, and problem solving. And of course these are not all. I never had said anything about imagination and if you miss it, even with all of the above you can't go further. You'd be a simple automaton. And all of these are improved by more input from the environment. If you have extra senses you get in more information about your surrounding and can find/solve problems faster. Usually faster means the difference between life and death. And you, Harry, seem to be the preferred dice of the fates."

"I need to introduce you to Hermione. I definitively will" said Harry laughing. "And I'll be the fly on the wall to your conversations. Through probably I'll not understand much of them anyway" he added smiling

"That's another issue I saw in your memories. How did you married Ginny when your life mate was Hermione?"

"I beg your pardon?" asked Harry as serious as possible "What do you mean by Hermione my life mate?"

Harry had the impression of someone hitting a wall with his head. "Harry tell me what would you say about your marriage. Was it a happy one?"

"I guess... "

More of the images of someone hitting his head to a wall "The problem is that you married someone that had an idea of what you should be and who did not saw what you were. She did not see you as the Boy-who-lived, but she did not saw you as Harry either. This in time lead to hate as she was expecting certain reactions from you and you failed time and time again to live up to them. From here the quarrels and the regrets. Per comparison Hermione was always the one to understand you at a glance. Same from your part too. You just needed to look at her and knew instantaneously what she needed, her moods or even what she thought at that specific moment, in detail even. If that's not a life mate I don't know what it is"

Hedwig continued "I shuffled through your memories and the point where the differences of behavior starts to appear is after the ministry affair in the fifth year. Then you didn't had the courage to make it up to her or to make clear the feelings you had for her. I don't know if it was due to potions or due to that curse, but his time please take care of not to happen again."

To say that Harry's jaw was open would be the understatement of the century. Was his life a lie. Was he portioned or was all of this due to an unfortunate series of events and a lack of courage from the part of two griffindors? He could not negate that his marriage was missing the spark, so to say. While he was content with it or almost content as the quarrels was something he had truly detested, he was not at completely at ease with living in his own house with his own family. Nor was he happy. There were happy moments in his memories, but he didn't feel like he could tell truly that "Yes, I am happy"

Looking up to Hedwig in the darkness, he asked "Was I a pawn all my life to different others?"

"Maybe yes, maybe not. From what I could interpret from your memories, you definitively were to Voldemort and Dumbledore. And if potions are assumed then probably to someone else as well. The only way I can see it out of this is for you to become the strongest you can become, the most powerful and to have your own intelligence network to supply you with information you can trust. After all you can be the most powerful being in the world, if I control what you know then you are my slave/pawn"

After a few minutes, Harry asked "Anything else I should know?"

"Hell, yes! But not now, I don't want to make you want to renounce before you even start"

"WHAT! What it is?"

"Later, it can wait. Some of it is bad news, some of it is good news, but as I said, it can wait for the moment. And you should really sleep as in a few hours you'll have your first medical exam. At least the first while in this body"

"And what makes you think I'll be able to sleep after all of this?"

"Because we are going to have you begining to learn meditation"

"Beg your pardon? What is meditation and how it's going to help me?

"Let's say that is a form of taking control of your mind and your thoughts flows. Your task for this night is to try to keep an empty mind, to suppress your thoughts. This will improve your occlumency and detection of legilimency, as well as your calmness Another benefit will be a bit of quickness in your thoughts as you'll realize that not all of your thoughts are in an efficient manner. But his is for latter. For now you need to calm down. Go on try it. Try to keep your mind empty of all thoughts"

Harry was skeptic at first. Then he realized how many thoughts he had running through his mind and how hard was actually to keep his mind empty even for a few seconds. In between two session of trying to empty his mind he also realized how much info Hedwig just showed him of what that she knew. "How come that you know so much"

"Because it's a very big and very diverse world out there" came the amused reply

* * *

The next day started early, when Tonks managed to fall when trying to get out of her bed.

"Morning Tonks"

"Morning" came the grunted reply. "At least you didn't say that it was a good morning"

"I take it that you need some coffee to start your engine?"

"Huh... yeah, sort of"

"Anything specific you'd like to have for breakfast?" asked Harry while getting out of the bed and heading to the door.

"Anything you like, make it double"

"Okay."

Harry came back with 3 plates, one of which was full to the brim with bacon. Setting it on the table, he waked Hedwig as well. The moment they finished breakfast, Harry asked for more information on being a metamorphmagus.

"Well... the limits are that you can be pretty much anyone around your body mass. For example you'll be able to look like a boy or girl your age, but you'll not be able to look like someone who has 3 time your weight."

"Also" continued Tonks after a small pause as to gather her thoughts "you can keep the disguise as long as you like easily while you are awake. However when you sleep you will revert to your original form and shape. At high levels of control of this ability, you will be able to do things like elongate your members to reach high places and you'll be able to heal serious injuries just by thinking of closing your wounds."

"What are the legends regarding this ability?"

"Legends? You mean what would be the top most of the ability metamorphmagus?" Seeing Harry's nod, Tonks continued. 'Well if you control at perfection your body and you are able to make it stretch and bend as you like. You could have a body that is as solid as bone this moment and flowing like water then next. Imagine being able to pass through a keyhole by making you body flow through it. It is rumored that you might be able to even control body parts that have been detached from the main body"

"You know Harry, if you don't close your mouth, a crow might take up and put a nest there"

"Sorry, it's just, that mind boggling. To be able to form and reform at a moment's notice as you desire your body. You basically can attain any imaginable shape all with in the limits of your imagination and your body mass. " said Harry, still shocked by the ability

"Maybe, but you are the second metamorphmagus that I know of. And I know of my abilities since forever. And i can change my arms for example a bit more then just changing shapes from the arm of one body to the next." To exemplify she elongated her right arm by about a meter or so. "But it's painful and uses quite a bit of energy"

Hedwig chosen this moment to intervene in their conversation, through only Harry could hear her. "The body mass it's not even a hard restriction as you can conjure additional mass, through it's something you'll have to be able to incorporate into your body and more so to be able to control it. Really hard to do, but not something impossible. The separates body parts moving on their own is also more achievable than you think, after all we talk from one mind to the other right now with nothing to connect us physically."

"There is one more thing. You might be able or not to achieve such things in the future, but if you don't start from somewhere you'll achieve exactly nothing. And the first things are the baby steps." continued Tonks

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that for now we'll start with your hair. Try to imagine it longer, somewhere around shoulder long. Then try to feel its weight increase when pulling the skin of your head when its growing."

After half of hour all that Harry managed to obtain was a sweaty brow. "Okay, let try with your nails. Try to make then grow. Something like this." She showed the nail from her index finger growing about a couple of centimeters. "Useful when you want to reach that elusive bugger"

Harry scowled "Really, I could do without that specific image in my head"

"Just teasing. Come on, try to make your fingernail grow a bit"

Harry tried just to make it grow this time without imagining it the feel of it growing and to his surprise it just did that after a few tries. "Let me guess, you just wanted it to grow, no imagining of how it should look or feel, or any feel in between for the transition, right?"

"Yeah, and it just worked fine."

"Yes, it did. But while this is ok for your fingernail, it's sure death if you try to do it on your lung." She raised a hand to stop Harry from saying anything." The way you imagine that things work and the way they actually work are most of the time very different things. Very very very different things. For example you can't use muscle material to build the just mentioned lung. You can't use muscles to breeze"

"So basically, you are telling me that there are further restrictions then the body mass thing?"

"No, I'm telling you not to try stupid things that you might accomplish, but after that you'll have shortly death. You must always think about it first and then use the feeling you have during transition from one shape to the other as a safety line. If it feels even slightly wrong then it's safer to turn back then die. It might be harder this way, but it's safer. If nothing else, remember this - shape doesn't imply function as well."

Harry was looking at Tonks in a new light. "So you are telling me that each time you use your ability you can die?"

"Not quite, one of the tricks is to maintain the internal organs the same while changing only the outside of the body to match what you want."

"Euh...Tonks, when you joined us to the table, you were a man. Does that imply you were all male? Like in completely male?"

Tonks laughed at Harry's blush. "Yeah, all, completely male. But, before you ask, no that doesn't means functional as well"

"Okay, cause I just had the weirdest thought of all. If someone could control their body to a high enough degree then they could... euh... emulate apparatus from both male and female to give birth all by themselves"

"In theory yes, but in practice not. Remember I told you that during sleep you revert to your natural from? That would kill all of that very fast. Not to mention that there is a very specific reason why you need a couple of different partners for birth to occur. You know or will know what I mean as you grow older and you get "the Talk". And what's with this? Aren't you a little to young to think already at making babies?"

Hedwig intervened "It's actually possible. Has been done by avatars of various gods in long ago times"

Further awkward conversation was saved by the arrival of Albus and madame Pomfey followed closely by Minerva.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Harry and Hedwig, the moment Albus parted with them, he run to his office and to his pensieve. He removed he memories of this after noon meeting with Harry and started to analyse. To his amazement and embarrassment he realized that Harry had leaded him through the nose and even obtained the promise of extra rights. Would not matter much as school was starting in a few weeks, but it could pose troubles in the years after that. But that could be revoked if he proved irresponsible during this school year.

He needed more info so he went back to Privet Drive and obtained the memories of Petunia, Dudley and Vernon. Not that they did it without a fuss. Additionally he went and picked the memories of Mrs. Figg.

Back to his office, Albus started to experience snippets of Harry's life. While the pensieve allowed him to experience them faster then they happen, the amount of memories was staggering. And most of them showed a child that was repeatedly beaten and put down. Morning came and Albus was nowhere near to finish his homework on Harry. He summoned and elf, asked for the strongest coffee they had and then call for Minerva.

"Good morning Minerva."

"Good morning Albus. What seems to be he issue this early in the morning?"

"I had a meeting yesterday afternoon with Harry Potter. Yes, THE Harry Potter. And I must tell you that he is nothing like a normal child. The way he reasons and acts are those of a fully grown adult. And it's power it's immense"

"You surely kid me. He hasn't even started school yet. Have his guardians been that irresponsible that they've teached him magic already?"

"No Minerva, for this guardians were muggles. The sort of "there should better not be magic kind of muggles". And yet not only does he gets around in a new world, but he does it with an ease that is bordering on incredulity. And he can do things that I'm forced to work hard to do them. He levitated all the items in his inn room without using a wand or saying a spell last night. It's like he already knew about the magic world and now only plays a role to better accommodate into his skin"

"Possession Albus?"

Albus paled. "I agreed with him to have Poppy check him this morning. In the mean time, please get me all the time turners that we have available. I have more memories to analyse and not enough time. Also, after that please check with Madame Rosmerta to see he is still at the inn. I left him in the care of Tonks, but if he's been possessed then he could easily kill her. Or worse. Just find out if they are still there and if all is ok. Then please go to the Ministry and ask for an underage magic exception license for Harry Potter in my name as I'm currently his magic guardian. Please meet me afterwards with Pomfrey to go and check on Harry" giving Minerva a scroll

"Underage magic exception license, Albus?"

"Yes, Minerva. I'll explain later. Please get me the time turners. For if it's indeed possession then we are facing Voldemort again. Or something worse. And yes I know, he wouldn't asked for one if he was You-Know-Who" seeing Minerva flinch the first time he said the name

A few minutes later together with 4 time turners and a very serious dose of coffee Albus turned back in time. Time passed again and again and when the morning came again, instead of answers, all that Albus had was more and more questions.

* * *

"Hello sir. And madames" said Harry looking curiously at madame Pomfrey and at Minerva McGonagall

"Hello Harry. How are you this morning?" Albus looked at Tonks who waved back at him.

"So far so good, sir. Trying to elongate this specific nail, but I only have partial success with it"

"I present you Madame Pomfrey, Hogwart's medical which and Minerva McGonagall, the Head of Gryffindor House and the one who helps me run the school"

"Nice to meet you" replied Harry. What would you like me to do?" he said pointing to Madame Pomfrey

"Just remove your clothes from the middle above and turn with the back to me" said madame Pomfrey getting out her wand. "I'm going to cast a few diagnostic spells on you. First, I'll... "what ever she was about to say got lost as all in the room remained starring at Harry's upper torso. Or better said the mishmash of scars and bruises that was there

"Is this ok?"

"Euh... yes, it's ok. Could you please turn around with the back to me" Harry did just that, revealing even more scars and bruises. "What happened to you?"

"If you mean the scars and bruises, then these are the marks of my relatives repeated failures to stamp out the magic of me. But I understood that there are potions that can correct the some of this"

With a grim expresion on her face, Pomfrey started casting spell after spell. "Indeed they are, but I want to finish first your exam before deciding on anything. Harry please keep as still as you can for a few seconds. The accuracy of the results of following set of spells depends on you keeping as still as possible." Harry just nodded.

Pomfrey casted the spells and looked at the results. Then casted them again. And a third time. Each and every time the result was the same. Taking a few seconds to think, she asked Harry to dresses back again.

Harry put his clothes back on, then turning with the face to the medi-which. "Could you please cast some diagnostic spells on this scar as well?" pointing to the scar above his right eye. "I can tell it's something strange with it, but I can't seem to be able to put my finger on what's actually wrong with it"

"It's ok Harry" intervened Albus fast. "It's the scar from where the killing curse made contact with you. I'll tell you later about it"

"Ok, we'll talk about it later."

Albus was relieved a bit. The scar there and Harry's willingness to find out more about it meant that no possession was in place. Through he was now in a bind of why Harry said it felt wrong somehow and what he could tell him about it. Turning to Pomfrey

"Poppy, what can you tell me?"

"Over all he's healthy. However besides the obvious scarring and bruises he suffers for effects of malnutrition and has hair line fractures in various degrees of healing on all of his bones. Most of the healing done the wrong way. Right now I would put him in the bed, vanish his skeleton part by part and keep him on skele-gro for the next weeks or so. This magic core seems ok for this age, it barely started to mature. This is normal for his age. The unusual part is that is the most powerful core I've seen besides yours Albus. And the difference rather small" Seeing the looks on Minerva and Tonks faces, Poppy clarified "In terms of raw power Albus and Harry are currently very close to each other. As time passes and Harry's core will mature he will be a somewhere in between a few times and a few tens of times more powerful then Albus"

Tonks whistled "So Harry what are planning to do on Friday evening?"

"I think I'm a bit too young for that" smiled Harry. Then glancing back to Pomfrey "Is anything to correct my vision? I would like to get rid of the glasses if possible"

"Yes, but it's a rather expensive potion and it takes a very long time to brew it. And I have none on hand."

"It's ok. All I wanted to know was if it does exist such a potion. Now that I know that it exists, I will either buy it, either make it. As soon as I can"

"Pomfrey" said Minerva "are you sure there is no mistake? I mean he's 11 years old for Merlin's sake. How it can have the same level of power as Albus?"

"No mistake. I've done the diagnostic spell 3 times and each time it showed to same"

"Merlin!" whispered Minerva

Hedwig, which was watching the whole thing with interest said to Harry "Interesting... should I mention to you that your core is currently in powered day-to-day mode?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well... it's of no use to waste energy all the time by running at full power, even if your core is not matured yet. So your core it's running at a lower level which assures that you have enough energy to go about your daily tasks. However in case of emergency this switches to full power. This is similar to a mother which removes a 2 tone car from her kid simply by lifting it away, while in non-emergency day to day activities it can not lift more then 40-50 kg at once. You will be able to access this full power with constant training. Also the upper emergency limit can be increased"

"Thanks Hedwig. Any idea how this happened?"

"My guess is that your mature core was taken and stuck into your current body which is just growing."

"So in the I'm going through another growth cycle? Which will get me where in terms of raw power?"

"Somewhere in between a few hundreds and a few thousand times more powerful then you were in the previous timeline"

"Merlin!"

Albus was considering now if he should offer Harry an apprentice under him or if it should kill him on the spot. It would either be the greatest wizard ever or the end of everything he hold dear. No one would be able to oppose a dark wizard that was ten times more powerful then him. Time for a small test.

"Harry" said Albus putting his hand in the pocket and grabbing the Elder wand "what would you like to do regarding your relatives who did this to you? Under wizard law, a muggle attacking a wizard is passable for termination or life time in Azkaban"

"What's Azkaban?" playing his "I'm new around here" part

"Euh... " of all the things he was expecting, the above question was not the one. Through thinking that he was in the magical world since only 2 days then it was to be expected. "It's the magical Britain prison. A very dark place, guarded by beings that can and will suck your soul out in case you try to escape"

"Euh... Sir, can you tell me if they can come here and request that I be put back under their care? Or reach me here in the magical world in any way?"

"I strongly doubt that Harry"

"Then I don't care about them. Since they can't reach me, I see no reason why I should think or bother with them. For me that letter on the table there opened a new life, which means I closed my old one and I have no intention to return to it. It's over and I want it to stay that way"

Albus started laughing. "Harry, you probably do not realize this, but this was a small test of my part to see how good your are. Now, before Minerva beets me to it" and Albus draw on his all of his power making him glow and look like an ancient sage "I'm going to offer you an apprenticeship under me. This means that I will personally teach you all and everything I know adjusting for your learn rate and forcing you to your upper limit as frequently as I can. It's going to be as dangerous as it can be, it will hurt, a lot I might add, both physically, mentally and magically but, considering that I'm currently the most powerful wizard in the world, I believe the end result will be worth it. Also, as a word of caution, the last apprentice I had was over a hundred years ago and he had gone insane in less then a week. Are you interested?"

"Harry, accept it" said Hedwig "It's your best chance to learn, to research and get additional resources to complete your goals. If nothing else this is your best chance to convert Albus to our goals"

"You know Hedwig, we could just steal the Philosopher's Stone instead and we'd have almost infinite resources" replied Harry amused "I was planning anyway to borrow it for a couple of weeks to get enough gold to fill the second vault. But you are right, we would waste the more important resorces - the knowledge and the cooperation of Albus."

Looking at the headmaster "I would like that very much sir. How do we do this?"

Albus took his wand out "I'm going to give an oath on my magic and life. You are to give a the same oath but in the end you are going to say that you accept to become the apprentice"

"Sure sir. Euh... if I use my wand, wouldn't I get the fine?"

"No Harry, it's ok now. Minerva here, got that exception for you"

Turning to Minerva, Harry nodded his thanks

"I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, swear on my life and my magic to take Harry James Potter as an apprentice and to tell and to teach him all that I can teach him"

Harry summoned his magic in a similar way the headmaster has done, starting to glow as well, raised the wand and "I, Harry James Potter, swear on my life and magic to become the apprentice of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and to listen to him and to learn all that he will teach me."

A golden heavy chain erupted from both wands, hit the heart of the other one, went around the head and then circled to do the same to the original wand holder.

Albus smiled and thought "Gotcha Harry"


End file.
